Tag Archives: What’s it like to live in Santa Fe

By Staci Matlock | The New Mexican
Posted: Sunday, April 22, 2012 To read the original article in its entirety.

Breathe deeply, Santa Feans.

The City Different and Santa Fe County has some of the cleanest air in America, according to the American Lung Association.

That’s excellent news for children, elderly and people with asthma, cardiovascular disease and emphysema who are most at risk of health problems when they breath polluted air. An estimated third of Santa Fe County’s population falls into one of those categories.

The association analyzed data from 2007 to 2010 related to ozone and particles emitted from vehicle tailpipes, power generating stations, mining, manufacturing and more. The association has analyzed air quality in U.S. cities for the last dozen years and published the results in annual State of the Air reports.

The reports rank cities based on levels of ozone, short-term particle pollution and long-term particle pollution. Santa Fe joined Honolulu as the only cities who were on the association’s “cleanest air” list in all three categories from 2007-2010, the period for which data was analyzed.

Santa Fe earned an A for low ozone and 24-hour particle pollution, and it passed the annual particle pollution category.

Particles are mixtures of chemicals and materials floating around in air. Some are so tiny they can’t be seen without an electron microscope. Some are thinner than a strand of hair.

Smoke, dust, pollen and gas fumes are just a few of the particles launched into the air by wind, plants, power generation and wildfires. People inhale the particles with air. People cough out the larger particles, but smaller particles can get trapped in lung tissue, causing illness.

Ozone, another dangerous lung irritant analyzed by the American Lung Association, also comes from a mixture of gases produced by cars, smokestacks and burning coal. The gases — nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds — when combined with sunlight and warmth, produce harmful ozone in the lower atmosphere.

Children, people older than 65, those who like to exercise outdoors and people who have existing lung problems such as asthma are more susceptible to the ill effects of elevated ozone levels. People exposed to high levels of ozone can suffer wheezing, chest pain, asthma attacks and respiratory infections.

The American Lung Association report notes that while air quality has improved overall around the country, 1 in 17 Americans (18.5 million total) live around unhealthy levels of ozone and particles.

Edited by CHRISTINA LOUROSA-RICARDO

This article is syndicated from the Wall Street Journal on line, click here for a copy of the original article.

Not too long ago, the whole point of retirement was not working. But today’s retirees are increasingly counting themselvesamong the job seekers.

That’s why SmartMoney.com’s second annual survey of the best places to retire comes with a twist. We’ve analyzed tax rates, cost-of-living numbers and real-estate prices to compile a list of less expensive alternatives to several traditional retirement hotspots. But this year we also combed for relatively low unemployment rates and thriving job opportunities for seniors.

Here are some of our picks:

Santa Fe, N.M. Unlike trendier Sedona, an Arizona town often touted as a best place to retire, unemployment is just 5.3% in Santa Fe, thanks to the state capital’s thriving tourism business and government payroll.

Santa Fe is dotted with 240 art galleries and is the home of Art Santa Fe, an international art fair that attracts buyers and tourists from around the globe.

For retirees who want to work, tourism-related jobs are a good bet, says Steve Lewis, a spokesman for the Santa Fe Convention & Visitors
Bureau.

Lincoln, Neb. This is the quintessential Midwestern town—friendly people, college football and picturesque landscapes. Residents take a brimming pride in their city’s low crime rate and accessible natural beauty, including 10 nearby lakes and more than 99 miles of recreational trails.

And it boasts an unemployment rate of just 3.6%. The University of Nebraska; government jobs; as well as a
sizable corporate presence, including Kawasaki and Assurity Life Insurance, help keep employment stable. Housing prices have remained
relatively flat since 2007, with a two-bedroom home now running for about $115,000.

Portland, Maine. Portland’s culture and natural beauty rivals popular Northampton, Mass.’s, thanks to miles of coastline, the popular fishing area of Sebago Lake and a smattering of islands around the coast.

Unemployment is well below the national average, with many big employers, such as Maine Medical Center, TD Bank and clothing company
L.L. Bean.

Jupiter, Fla.Jupiter has pristine beaches, year-round warm weather, golf courses and shopping as does more popular Naples, but is about half the price to live in, according to data from Sperling’s Best Places.

With a jobless rate of 8%, Jupiter fares better than most of Florida. The area benefits from hosting the spring training seasons of the
Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals baseball teams, as well as biotech companies like the Scripps Institute.